Same As You
by Sar'Kalu
Summary: TimeTravel. NoPairings. "Terrible things have happened to wizards who have meddled with time, Harry.."
1. Chapter 1

**Same As You**  
_Terrible things happen to wizards who meddle with time, Harry._  
Sar'Kalu

**The Beginning**  
It all started in a theoretical discussion in the Room of Requirement between Harry and Hermione, it should never have been brought up, but idle minds are the devils playground and Hermione had just finished a book on theoretical time travel. Harry had been interested, but had truly understood. It was all Ron's fault in the end; Ronald Weasley, the boy who said the wrong thing at the wrong time and gave Hermione the wrong idea.

"_What if we could go back in time and kill Riddle when he was a kid, or a young man? Wouldn't that be better? Everyone would be alive and Harry would have his parents and stuff._"

Hermione had been enchanted, her face all lit up like Christmas as she contemplated the chances of such a thing succeeding. The war had ended after all, and there wasn't much to lose and so, so much to gain. The budding Unspeakable threw away all her objections to the idea, arrogantly assured in her righteous quest and so set the course. Beside her stood her boyfriend, his face faithful even as Hermione struggled and fought her way forwards, magic resisting the idea even as it complied with Hermione's request. All through it all Harry stood calmly in the storm, his face tentatively hopeful as he watched Hermione draw the Pentagram on the floor of the dungeons, all warnings of the past flittering through his mind as he did so.

"_Terrible things have happened to wizards who meddle with time, Harry._"

Thirteen year old Hermione's voice echoed through his thoughts like a death knell, but still Harry ignored the danger, the chances of it not succeeding. His parents, he would have parents again. Harry smiled, hope blooming like a spring blossom in his chest, fragile and delicate, beautiful in its tenacity to dare.

It was time.


	2. Chapter 2

**Same As You**  
_Terrible things happen to wizards who meddle with time, Harry._  
Sar'Kalu

**Terrible Things**  
Harry woke to the squalling of children and the stink of polish and disinfectant, and Harry assumed that he was in a hospital somewhere. He tried to sit up only to find that he was unable to, his muscles refusing to co-operate with him, and Harry found himself panicking in the face of this kind of helplessness that was so unknown to him now. Harry huffed lightly and raised a small fist, trying to gain some kind of attention from anyone.

"Hello Tommy, are you awake, baby?" A voice cooed gratingly in his ear.

Harry frowned in shock as a large human face hovered above his own and he stared into the light grey eyes of a matronly woman who smiled so gently down at him. He was a baby. A bloody baby. The woman scooped him up and cradled him to her breast, and Harry found himself desperately wishing that she wouldn't be breast feeding him, the idea actually made him ill. Thankfully the woman didn't, but she did stick a rubber teat into his mouth which was humiliating for the nearly twenty year old man, warm milk spilling into his throat. Despite his humiliation, Harry found himself enthusiastically sucking the milk down, early crying out in anger when the teat was removed from his mouth. The woman tipped him upright and proceeded to pat him on the back, and Harry completed his humiliation by burping loudly in the woman's ear.

"Clever Tommy." The woman murmured to Harry as he fought his sudden exhaustion. "Such a clever, quiet baby."

Harry found himself wondering just who Tommy was and why she was calling him that.

Three weeks later, Harry had his answer. Tommy was his new name, the Matron was called Mrs. Cole and he was not only a child but he was an orphan. Again. Even worse, Harry found that he could barely remember much about where he had come from, and the only thing he did remember with any certainty was his name. He chanted it at night to himself, along with his prescribed task. The chanting was soothing, and for baby Harry now Tommy, he rarely noticed when he slipped and got things muddled up.

_Kill Tom Riddle. I am Harry Potter._

_Kill Tom Riddle. I am Harry Potter._

_Kill Tom Riddle. I am Harry Potter._


	3. Chapter 3

**Same As You**  
_Terrible things happen to wizards who meddle with time, Harry._  
Sar'Kalu

**Face of an Angel**

Harry focused his entire attention on his legs, he had been (re-)learning to walk for the past week, and now he was certain he could manage it. In the corner of the room stood a mirror, its carved length and polished surface gleamed in the late afternoon sunlight and Matron stood with one of the other baby's, a boy named Stevie with big brown eyes and curly dark hair. Harry stood, wavering slightly as his feet remained undecided as to whether they could manage this. Frowning, Harry took a step forward, unknowingly drawing the gaze of the Matron who watched her strongest and quietest baby take his first unassisted steps. Harry moved, slowly, carefully across the wooden floor of the Orphanage nursery; painstakingly, Harry made his way towards the mirror.

The floor was uneven and Harry had to wobble uncertainly a few times, regaining his balance as he unerringly made his way to the mirror and finally fell onto his bottom in front of it. Bright blue eyes stared back out of it at him, and soft brown hair fell in waves upon his head. His face, despite its obvious youthfulness, was aristocratic and well-bred. He was a pretty baby, Harry allowed, a small smile upon his lips, though he had been a handsome man once, he knew. Even if he could no longer remember what he had looked like.

Sometimes when he saw grass, Harry found himself smiling for some unknown reason, thinking that eyes should be that unnatural green, with black hair and ruby red locks. Harry yawned and allowed himself to be scooped up by the Matron, not that he could have stopped her anyway, and he lay his head down with weariness. From the ease of long practice, Harry fell into his habit of chanting his task and his name, unwilling to forget the smallest part of himself that he still remembered.

_Kill Tom Riddle. I am Harry Potter._

_Kill Tom Riddle. I am Harry Potter._

_Kill Tom Riddle. I am Harry Potter._


	4. Chapter 4

**Same As You**  
_Terrible things happen to wizards who meddle with time, Harry._  
Sar'Kalu

**Billy Stubbs Tears**  
Furious blue eyes followed the fat little boy as he ran towards that gods-forsaken rabbit hutch, Harry clutched his book tightly, hunger burning in his middle as he glared down at Billy Stubbs and his bloody rabbit. Harry was hungry, and there was nothing more in the Orphanage to eat, and still that rabbit was kept like royalty. The younger kids cried themselves to sleep, and the adults tightened their belts while sympathising with their charges. Harry watched Billy pick the rabbit up and cuddle it close to his face, pressing his fist to his stomach, Harry wished he could strangle that rabbit to death, watch its eyes pop, its tongue turn black in its mouth. Billy was a bully, he liked to hurt the younger kids, including Harry, his innocent brown eyes and widely smiling mouth convincing the Matron of his innocence while Harry was belted once more with the strap.

Billy was playing with the rabbit in the dirt now, there was no grass left, the rabbit had eaten it, and Harry wondered why the Matron allowed it to live. Billy refused to let anyone else play with the creature, and the other kids were terrified of Billy's taunts and cruel fists. Harry hated Billy, more than he hated Tom Riddle, though he had trouble remembering who that was now. His memory was fading faster now he was seven, his magic had started again, although he had trouble remembering anything but being special. He was special. He was special and he was starving, all because of a bullying boy and a rabbit.

Harry stared down at his book, his blue eyes burning with anger, staring at the picture of the man in a hangman's noose and wished, prayed that Billy's rabbit would look like the man on his book. It wasn't fair. It wasn't right. Kids were starving and Matron allowed the rabbit to live. Harry's magic burned along his arms and prickled the back of his neck, his eyes glowed an unnatural dark blue that swirled with starlight and there came a scream from the backyard where Billy and his rabbit were.

"It's gone!" Billy's screams could be heard as he was pulled inside, his sobs choking his words. "I know it was Tommy! He hates Bunny!"

Harry bared his teeth in anger and clenched his small fists around the sides of his history book. _Hang the rabbit!_ He chanted in his head. _Hang the bloody rabbit! Hand the rabbit, I'm hungry!_

There was a second scream from above and this time Harry jumped in shock, the book slid to the ground with a dull thump and he stared up in surprise. Billy went thundering past, Matron hard on his heels and Harry found himself waiting in anticipation. There was a shrill wail from Billy and Matron howled in shock and horror. Harry leapt up and ran with the other kids up into the attic.

It was like a screen from a bad horror movie. The rabbit was centre stage, its tongue black and purple, hanging like a deranged parody of a dogs panting as it hung lifeless from the rafters, a perfect hangman's noose encircling its neck. Matron stood with Billy to the side, Billy was crying, his hands outstretched towards the rabbit devastation written on his chubby baby face, while Matron held him back and stared. Katy, the Orphanage worker was crouched beneath the rabbit, looking disgusted and horrified, her face sheet-white.

"It jus' dropped outta the air, it were all alive still, it kicked a wee bit, but then it stopped!" Katy babbled, her brogue unusually thick in her distress. The gathered kids were crying and sobbing from shock at seeing a dead animal in front of them, even one they hadn't liked much. One of the older boys grabbed a broom and poked the rabbits side.

"Yeah, 'e's dead' aright!" The boy announced, sending a fresh wave of wails through the room and Harry sneered in disgust, his eyes alighting on the rabbit once more and a twisted grin of glory upon his lips.

"Tom, do you know who did this?" Matron asked, her voice thick with suspicion.

Tommy shook his head angelically. "No Matron."

The Matron didn't look convinced but sent everyone downstairs once more, claiming the need to clean up the 'mess'. Billy was hysterical with sorrow and Katy was still in shock. Harry left the attic elation filling his chest and he laughed high and cold in victory, Billy Stubbs tears had been a balm to him, and he knew that his magic had done as he wished. His magic had hung that rabbit, he was special, he was clever and special. That night Harry chanted as he had each night, never noticing his slip as he drifted off to sleep.

_Kill Tom Riddle. I am Harry Potter._

_Kill Tom Riddle. I am Harry Potter._

_Kill Tom Riddle. I am Harry Potter._

_Kill Harry Potter. I am Tom Riddle._

* * *

_Dear Readers,_

_This is the end of this fic, I hope you all enjoyed it. Reviews are welcome, and no matter how much you beg/plead/ask, there will be no sequel or further chapters. _

_Kind regards, Sar'Kalu_


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